Data Scientist - Entry/Mid-Level

Responsibilities The professionals at the National Security Agency (NSA) have one common goal: to protect our nation. The mission requires a strong offense and a steadfast defense. The offense collects, processes, and disseminates intelligence information derived from foreign signals for intelligence and counterintelligence purposes. The defense prevents adversaries from gaining access to sensitive classified national security information. NSA is the nation's leader in providing foreign signals intelligence while also protecting US government information systems, forging the frontier of communications, and data analysis. We serve the American people by applying technical skills to meaningful work, keeping our friends and families safe for generations to come. You will make a lasting impact serving your country as a Data Scientist at the National Security Agency, using your curiosity to analyze large data sets to inform decision-making against foreign threats. We are looking for critical thinkers, problem solvers, and motivated individuals who are enthusiastic about data and believe that answers to hard questions lie in the yet-to-be-told story of diverse, complicated data sets. You will employ your mathematical science, computer science, and quantitative analysis skills to ensure solutions to complex data problems and take full advantage of the NSA's software and hardware capabilities in all areas of our enterprise, including analytic capabilities, research, and foreign intelligence operations. Data Scientists are hired into positions directly supporting a technical mission office or the Data Scientist Development Program (DSDP). The NSA/CSS Data Scientist Development Program is a three-year opportunity to build your data science talent, experience the breadth of data science at NSA through six- to nine-month assignments in a variety of diverse organizations, and collaborate with NSA's experts in the field of data science. You will have opportunities to attend technical conferences with experts from industry and academia. You will routinely discuss and share NSA's challenges and successes at weekly technical roundtables. We foster an environment where you will develop your data science skills, allowing you to quickly contribute to NSA's mission. As a member of a technical mission office or the DSDP, Data Scientists tackle challenging real-world problems leveraging big data, high-performance computing, machine learning, and a breadth of other methodologies. As a Data Scientist at NSA, responsibilities may include: - Collecting and combining data from multiple sources - Uncovering and exploring anomalous data (including metadata) - Applying the scientific process to data evaluation, performing statistical inference, and data mining - Developing analytic plans, engineer supporting algorithms, and design and implement solutions which execute analytic plans. - Designing and developing tools and techniques for analysis - Analyzing data using mathematical/statistical methods - Evaluating, documenting, and communicating research processes, analyses, and results to customers, peers, and leadership - Creating interpretable visualizations Skills The ideal candidate is someone with a desire for continual learning and strong problem-solving, analytic and interpersonal skills. You might be a great fit for our team if any of the following describe you: - Completed a degree program in the fields of mathematics, statistics, computer science, computational sciences, or a passion for rigorous analysis of data - Tenacity, integrity, persistence, and willingness to learn - Ability to solve complex problems - Use critical thinking and reasoning to make analytic determinations - Works effectively in a collaborative environment - Strong communications skills to both technical and non-technical audiences - The desire to serve over 300 million fellow Americans and make a difference in world events Salary Range: $68,586 - $85,464 (Entry Level/Developmental) *The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position. Salary offers are based on candidates' education level and years of experience relevant to the position and also take into account information provided by the hiring manager/organization regarding the work level for the position. Entry is with a Bachelor's degree and no experience. An Associate's degree plus 2 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position. Degree must be in Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Applied Statistics, Machine Learning, Data Science, Operations Research, or Computer Science. A degree in a related field (eg, Computer Information Systems, Engineering), a degree in the physical/hard sciences (eg physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy), or other science disciplines (ie, behavioral, social, and life) may be considered if it includes a concentration of coursework (typically 5 or more courses) in advanced mathematics (typically 200 level or higher; such as calculus, differential equations, discrete mathematics) and/or computer science (eg, algorithms, programming, data structures, data mining, artificial intelligence). College-level Algebra or other math courses intended to meet a basic college level requirement, or upper level math courses designated as elementary or basic do not count. Note: A broader range of degrees will be considered if accompanied by a Certificate in Data Science from an accredited college/university. Relevant experience must be in designing/implementing machine learning, data mining, advanced analytical algorithms, programming, data science, advanced statistical analysis, artificial intelligence, and/or software engineering. Experience in more than one area is strongly preferred. Salary Range: $79,334 - $105,663 (Full Performance) *The qualifications listed are the minimum acceptable to be considered for the position. Salary offers are based on candidates' education level and years of experience relevant to the position and also take into account information provided by the hiring manager/organization regarding the work level for the position. Entry is with a Bachelor's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience or a Master's degree plus 1 year of relevant experience or a Doctoral degree and no experience. An Associate's degree plus 5 years of relevant experience may be considered for individuals with in-depth experience that is clearly related to the position. Degree must be in Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Applied Statistics, Machine Learning, Data Science, Operations Research, or Computer Science. A degree in a related field (eg, Computer Information Systems, Engineering), a degree in the physical/hard sciences (eg physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy), or other science disciplines (ie, behavioral, social, and life) may be considered if it includes a concentration of coursework (typically 5 or more courses) in advanced mathematics (typically 200 level or higher; such as calculus, differential equations, discrete mathematics) and/or computer science (eg, algorithms, programming, data structures, data mining, artificial intelligence). College-level Algebra or other math courses intended to meet a basic college level requirement, or upper level math courses designated as elementary or basic do not count. Note: A broader range of degrees will be considered if accompanied by a Certificate in Data Science from an accredited college/university. Relevant experience must be in two or more of the following: designing/implementing machine learning, data mining, advanced analytical algorithms, programming, data science, advanced statistical analysis, artificial intelligence, or software engineering. Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule On the job training, internal NSA courses, and external training will be made available based on the need and experience of the selectee. Monday - Friday, with basic 8 hr/day requirements between 0800 to 1800 (flexible) How To Apply - External To apply for this position, please click the 'Apply Now' button located at the top or bottom of this page. After completing the application and clicking the 'Submit Final' button, you will receive a confirmation email. Emails regarding your application status will be sent periodically. Please ensure your spam filters are configured to accept emails from [Click Here to Email Your Resume]. PLEASE NOTE: US Citizenship is required for all applicants. Reasonable accommodations provided to applicants with disabilities during the application and hiring process where appropriate. NSA is an equal opportunity employer and abides by applicable employment laws and regulations. All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph. This position is a Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) position in the Excepted Service under 10 USC 1601. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are a veteran claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, you may be asked to submit documents verifying your eligibility. Please note that you will be asked a series of questions and your responses will be used as part of the screening process of your application. Your responses will assist in determining your eligibility for the position. Failure to provide the required information or providing inaccurate information will result in your application not being considered for this position. Only those applicants who meet the qualifications for the position will be contacted to begin employment processing. DCIPS Disclaimer The National Security Agency (NSA) is part of the DoD Intelligence Community Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). All positions in the NSA are in the Excepted Services under 10 United States Codes (USC) 1601 appointment authority.